Excavations & Publication Project

One of the main projects of the CAR is its participation in the Tel Gezer Excavation and Publication Project in the Israel which began under the leadership of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 2006. Over the past 40 years, NOBTS has participated in a number of excavation projects in Israel, including Tel Sheva (Beersheba), Tel Aphek, Tel Batash (Timnah), Tel Qasile, Tel Beth Shean, Tel Rehov.

CURRENT PROJECT

The current excavation project of the Center for Archaeological Research is the Tel Gezer Water System Project. This project began in 2010 and is jointly sponsored by NOBTS, the Israel National Parks Authority (INPA), and the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). The codirector of the excavation from the INPA is Dr. Tsvika Tsuk, Chief Archaeologist of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, working in conjunction with the Leadership Team from NOBTS of Drs. Daniel Warner, James Parker, and R. Dennis Cole.

Summer 2015 Gezer Water System Expedition

Project: In the Summer 2014 expedition, a probe was carried ou tbeneath the causeway of limestone slabs placed by R.A.S. Macalister in the pool area at the entrance to the cavern and in the area of the main water source at the base of the steps. Restoration of the buildings interior to the MB gate and wall sytem was accomplished in the Winter of 2013-14. In 2015 we will continue to clear more of the diagonal tunnel, clearing the tunnel area between the area of the water source and the bottom steps, explore futher the possibility of an external entry, and expand the restoration of the area. One of the goals is to try to clarify the dating of the water sytem and its relationship to the contemporary city in antiquity.

Dates: May 24-June 12, 2014 (3 weeks); participants will need to arrive by May 22.

Cost: $1,800.00 for room, board, transportation, and weekend travel for the full three weeks. Overseas flights are to be arranged by each individual, and the dig staff will arrange for each to be picked up at the nearby (20 minutes) Ben Gurion airport. Some space is available for those who cannot stay all 3 weeks, at $600.00 per week.

Weekend Travel: - the expedition will arrange travel to various key areas and sites during the three week stay, including such areas a Jerusalem, Galilee, the coastal plains of Sharon and Philistia, and the Dead Sea.

Graduate credit: - Either 3 or 6 semester hours of credit can be obtained through NOBTS for the full 3 week participation in the expedition. Course credit will be offered at a reduced tuition charge will be assessed by NOBTS for participants in course credit. Some undergraduate credit is also available. Contact Dr. Cole for more information on courses and credit opportunities.

Accommodations and Directions: - The excavation project will be housed at Neve Shalom. The Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam (Oasis of Peace) Guest House is part of a unique community in which Jews and Arabs have chosen to live side-by-side. The students and staff will stay in the various double and quad rooms on the hotel grounds. These suites will be within a short walking distance of the excavation dighouse where all the lectures and processing of finds will take place. Neve Shalom is located close to everything in central Israel, just 30 minutes from either Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, or 20 minutes from Ben Gurion Airport. All guestrooms have air conditioning, telephone, television, and refrigerator. The dighouse and hotel lobby have wireless availability for all guests.

Tel Gezer Water System Excavation Project

In the summer of 2010 NOBTS took on the project of probing the ancient water system at Tel Gezer. The broader excavation of Tel Gezer (under the directorship of Dr. Steven Ortiz of SWBTS and Dr. Sam Wolff of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), took the summer off to publish the results of its last four seasons. In the interim, NOBTS under the leadership of Drs. Dan Warner, Dennis Cole, Jim Parker (all professors at NOBTS) and Dr. Tsvika Tsuk (of the Israel National Parks Authority), took on the challenge to reopen the ancient watesystem at Gezer which was first exposed beginning in 1905 by the British archaeologist Robert A.S. Macalister. Since his excavations left several unanswered questions, like, what is the source for the water, what is the date of the tunnel, and what is its overall function, it is necessary to reopen the system and clarify these issues. Since it was first exposed, over 10 meters of fill had accumulated in the tunnel which leads to a cave or cavern which is the source for the water. This diagonal stepped tunnel leading to the cavern is over 40 meters long heading in an eastern direction. On the link page for CAR, one can check out the Photo Gallery and Videos updates on what we are doing and how far we have dug to reach the opening of this cavern.

Click on the link below to obtain more information for the SWBTS Tel Gezer Dig

THE CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH
is a ministry of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
The seminary is located at 3939 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70126.
For more information about NOBTS please visit our website,www.nobts.edu or call 1-800-662-8701,
ext. 3303.